“And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. – Deuteronomy 8:18

God wants you financially empowered
In a time like this, when some people hypocritically attack any message on prosperity, while secretly praying for God’s blessings and putting pressure on their followers to bring in the wealth they speak against, we need to establish from the scripture the fact that it is part of God’s plans for us to be financially empowered.

Let’s not deceive ourselves. We will need a lot of money in order to fulfil our God-given mandate. If the money does not come in, we will not be able to achieve much no matter how anointed we are. We may be able to raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out devils and work miracles. At the end of it all, we will be limited if we cannot access enough resources. The reach of the gospel will also be limited. More importantly, anyone who wants to evangelise and has difficulties taking care of his own home will run into more troubles than can be imagined or described. The Bible also describes this person in 1 Timothy 5:8 as an infidel.

The good news is that we don’t have to be afraid or to panic because God has divine resources for the divine mandate he has given to you. Mathew 6:33 says, ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.’ So it is great that you have sought the kingdom of God. You have also found the assignment that God has for you in the kingdom. Now that you have sought the kingdom first, all those things God said will be added will surely be added. However, you have a role to play. Indeed, the addition God talked about has already been provided in so many situations. The only thing left if for us to engage covenant practices and to open our eyes to the opportunities God presents to us.
Again as we see in Deuteronomy 8:18, it is God that clearly gives the POWER TO GET – ability to produce or the grace to multiply – wealth. This is evident in the skills, grace and opportunities that he has blessed everyone with. There is no one that God has left out when it comes to having an important tool which will become a channel of blessing. Every is blessed with something that God will eventually use to bring him or her the much needed resources.

So why are people not empowered if God wants us blessed and empowered?

The axe head is fallen – 2 Kings 6:5 – But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.” This verse paints a picture of losing your God given capacity to produce results or to get wealth. The sons of the prophet here wanted to expand and the axe was a major tool needed in the expansion process. They went to borrow it in order to move forward yet, it fell into the water. I should say that this also has a spiritual significance because when the axe head falls from the hand of any man, it will take a miracle to get it out. Remember that this axe head fell into the water and the man of God miraculously floated it with a wood. So the reason some people are not finally empowered right now is because the axe head has fallen into the water – they have lost the major tool that God gave them in order to be finally empowered. They will need a miracle to get it back and it is indeed very possible.

The axe is dull – Ecclesiastes 10:10 ‘If the axe is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.’ This is such an insightful verse of scripture. There are too many people who are working with a dull axe head and they are struggling. Just as the Bible says, they will certainly use more strength. And we all know that by strength shall no man prevail. And the verse ends by saying wisdom brings success. What is the wisdom here? Sharpen the axe head before using it. How to sharpen your axe head is discussed below.

Ignorance – Hosea 4:6 – ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.’ There are so many provisions that God has already made for us and it is ignorance that will not allow many children of God to get those provisions. You have to hate ignorance just as much as God hates it. You must seek after godly knowledge and when you do, you will discover so much that God has revered for you. Until you do that, you may never come to the knowledge of what God has for you.

Positioning yourself for financial empowerment

It has become absolutely important to remind people, especially ministers of the gospel to not ridicule the gospel. All over the place, you have people who ought to be working but have refused to work. In fact, what it looks like right now is that when some people cannot find jobs, they then decide to do the work of God and face it squarely, consequently turning the work of God to an alternative source of income or a last resort for the hopeless job seeker. This should not be.
While I understand I am beginning to enter into a highly controversial tarrain, I will thread cautiously and still break some mindsets. This is so because some ministers need to be delivered before they make attempts to deliver other people.

Why is the issue of jobs or businesses for ministers very controversial? So many people are claiming they received instructions from God not to work or do any business. Why this is true for some, for others, it is mere laziness or their own minds speaking to them. If you claim that God has told you never to work but to face the ministry solely, you must be certain and seek counsel of elderly ministers who will rightly divide the word of truth. Some base their supposed call on the instructions Jesus gave to the apostles to forsake all and follow him. That is not debatable but you should remember that Apostle Paul was also a tent maker and still ministered the gospel.

For me, whether you choose to be full time or part time, the most important thing is not to operate a part time anointing. So you can be a part time Minister but don’t carry a part time anointing. There are full time ministers who are operating part time anointing. Whatever you choose, the power you carry and the way you operate with tangible impact is more important than the time spent doing the work. We all know Jesus spent three and half years doing the work but the ripple effect is still being felt today.

The other thing to consider is that if God has told you not to work, your wife or husband, depending on who is receiving full time call should still work or do business. While one faces the ministry, the other must work or do business so that you have a source of income. Please note that this wisdom is needed in ministry so that you don’t become a burden or perceived as a burden by those you are ministering to or intend to Minister to.

Even if both of you are ministers and are called, your children are not yet called and they deserve the best in life. Don’t bring them into untold hardship that you are justifying by a call that only you can hear. Be wise. So the quick action points are:

1. Either of the couple, for married people, should get a job

2. Create a job if you can’t get a job

3. Create products and services even from the ministry you have been given

a. Write a book from the revelations or insights God is giving you. Some ministers are so lazy they don’t prepare sermon notes or they scribble things down for sermon. A few others take time to write key points but they don’t develop them. Others are just not careful to keep their notes or transfer them into electronic formats.

b. Record your sermons always
How to sharpen your axe head before financial empowerment.

Financial Integrity – Luke 16:10 – 11 ‘He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?’ God promotes people of integrity. He multiplies what is in their hands. If you have not been faithful in little then you should not expect much. For many of us, God will give us several opportunities to be faithful in little matters. Because we do not see it as a test from God, we don’t think it is a big deal. We keep saying we will not mess things up when they are big. Always remember that God only promotes the faithful. It is therefore safe to say that how well you become empowered is directly related to your level of integrity or faithfulness. Financial integrity means that God can trust you with more money. If He can allow his money pass through your hands without you hindering its flow, he will let your own money come into your hands.

Financial Discipline – Luke 15:13 ‘And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.’ Other words for prodigal include wasteful, reckless, extravagant and uncontrolled. Unfortunately, these words perfectly describe some people who are also children of God. Interestingly, some of them are evangelists. You can’t spend for tomorrow and expect to remain empowered by God. Each time God gives you money, the money always falls into two major categories. The first is your seed and the other is your harvest. While it is okay to enjoy your harvest, you must never touch your seed. The sad part is that many Christians and even evangelists can’t differentiate between their financial seeds and their financial harvest. Typically, your offerings and your tithes are seeds that you must never joke with. I should also add that when you get to a level with God, your seeds will go beyond just offering and tithes. You may hold some money that should be your harvest but God will instruct you to convert it to a seed. With financial discipline, you will realize that you have more money than you think you do. You will start spending less of irrelevant things and spend more on the things that are needed or you keep what is left.

Financial Literacy – Mathew 25:25 ‘And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ You know very well the parable of talents. Jesus wasn’t happy with the last servant because he got the talent and didn’t multiply it at all. It was exactly what he got that he returned while others multiplied their own talents. You should know that if he had some financial literacy, he would have known what to do in order to multiply the talents like other people. In verse 27 of that Mathew 25, the servant was told, ‘So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.’ While we trust God to bless us, we must know that one of the ways in which he will really bless us is for us to get some financial education so that we can multiply what he has given unto us. God showed us here that he is not happy with those who cannot multiply what he has given them. How do you think he will not feel with those who are even losing what he has given them? Meet financial consultants. Ask questions about investments. Get involved and grow your finances.
Financial Plan – Luke 14:28 ‘For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.’ This is simply talking about planning. Many Christians don’t plan. You will be shocked to see how many people who don’t have any plan for this current year. They just wake up and live each day as it comes. Start your planning by keeping records. Some people who are not salary earners don’t even know how much they are earning and how much they are spending. Keeping records will help you to be more financially prudent. When there is no record, how do you know if you are making progress or not? Start saving and don’t spend everything. Create a long term savings plan and a short term savings plan. Have a long term investment plan and a short term investment plan as well. In your plan, make provisions for your spouses and children if you are married and you already have children. Planning reduces the emergencies that you have to deal with. Consequently, you will be less embarrassed.

The Covenant practice and financial empowerment

Let me remind you that financial empowerment does not answer to prayer and fasting. You can pray for as long as you want and fast for as long as you can. If you don’t get involved with covenant practice, you will never be financially empowered.
Giving – 2 Corinthians 9:7; Galatians 6:7; 9-10
Tithing – Malachi 3:10; Mathew 23:23; Hebrews 7:8

Conclusion

Please do not ever entertain the thoughts in your mind that God only wants to bless some selected people. Crush the idea that some people became wealthy or financially empowered because they got lucky. Financial empowerment in the kingdom of God answers primarily to your understanding and covenant practice. It does not matter how much you know, if you don’t take the actions required, you will wait till eternity and nothing will happen. I pray that the empowerment needed to fulfil your God-given mandate will be released to you as you take the required steps in Jesus name.

Fola Daniel Adelesi is a professional public speaker who also trains other speakers. He's a highly engaging training facilitator and he holds his large audience spell bound when speaking at gatherings. Apart from his several platforms which include banks, insurance companies and religious organizations where he facilitates trainings, he has been a part of some national television shows and he spoke so intelligently.
He's an author, business consultant and highly skilled master of ceremony with excellent poise and diction. He was on the Debaters TV reality show season 1, he presented 'You Can' on Radio Continental in 2011 and he did motivational segments on Galaxy TV from Dec 2008 to August 2009. Fola Daniel has authored at least 5 books including ‘Writing Business Proposals,’ ‘The Mentoring father’ and ‘Get up and hit that goal.’ He talked about Social Media on Info.com - An ICT Show on Lagos Television from August 2015 to late 2016. He’s a regular guest on some national tv platforms (including Channels TV and Television Continental) and a delight to their audience.
He trained as a communications professional, works as a business consultant and was also trained at Lagos Business School in collaboration with Google as a Digital Business Manager. He is the President and CEO of the Edible Pen Group.

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Fola Daniel Adelesi

Fola Daniel Adelesi is a professional public speaker who also trains other speakers. He's a highly engaging training facilitator and he holds his large audience spell bound when speaking at gatherings. Apart from his several platforms which include banks, insurance companies and religious organizations where he facilitates trainings, he has been a part of some national television shows and he spoke so intelligently.
He's an author, business consultant and highly skilled master of ceremony with excellent poise and diction. He was on the Debaters TV reality show season 1, he presented 'You Can' on Radio Continental in 2011 and he did motivational segments on Galaxy TV from Dec 2008 to August 2009. Fola Daniel has authored at least 5 books including ‘Writing Business Proposals,’ ‘The Mentoring father’ and ‘Get up and hit that goal.’ He talked about Social Media on Info.com - An ICT Show on Lagos Television from August 2015 to late 2016. He’s a regular guest on some national tv platforms (including Channels TV and Television Continental) and a delight to their audience.
He trained as a communications professional, works as a business consultant and was also trained at Lagos Business School in collaboration with Google as a Digital Business Manager. He is the President and CEO of the Edible Pen Group.